She took one last longing look at the Henrys’ house before turning to go in.

  “Mom,” she hollered, “I’m back in.”

  “Okay, the girls took some brownies upstairs. Are you okay? Need to talk about anything?” her mom asked.

  “No, I’m good.” Jacque waved as she started up the stairs. She stopped in mid-step and turned slightly. “Oh, there is one thing. Fane asked me out on a date for tomorrow night. Is that okay?”

  Lilly tried not to let her eyes widen. She pursed her lips and looked at her daughter, trying to decide how to respond. A foreign werewolf in Coldspring who was interested in Jacque? What the hell did this all mean? Though Jacque didn’t know it, Lilly had been down this road herself. It didn’t end well. She could tell by his behavior at dinner, Fane knew Lilly was aware of his true identity, or at least that he wasn’t entirely human. But surely Jacque couldn’t know. If she did, her daughter should be freaking out right about now.

  Lilly couldn’t outright forbid Jacque from seeing Fane. That would send up a ton of red flags and require an explanation. Lilly wasn’t sure she had one, at least not yet. “Yeah, that’s fine. You two know what you’re going to do?”

  “Not yet,” Jacque answered and then continued up the stairs.

  Lilly watched her daughter until she was out of sight. She felt a pain deep in her gut as she considered Fane and all the possibilities that came with him. Lilly had never told Jacque about her father and had hoped she’d never have to. She’d hoped the secret of his true nature would never affect Jacque. She had been a fool to think such a thing. Now the day had come, and the wolf was scratching at their door, literally.

  “Damn you, Dillon Jacobs,” she muttered under her breath, feeling that same old ache she endured anytime she thought of him. It had faded over the years, and, regardless of the pain, she couldn’t regret their relationship. After all, it had given her a beautiful daughter. Now she just hoped it didn’t end up taking the girl away.

  * * *

  Jacque opened her bedroom door to find Jen and Sally lying on her bedroom floor happily munching on the brownies.

  “Soooo, did he confess his undying love for you and ask you to run away to his Romanian castle?” Sally asked in a wistful voice.

  Jacque gasped. “Oh my gosh. How did you know?”

  “I’m just good like that, ya know, with the seeing the future and whatnot,” Sally answered.

  “Yeah, yeah, you’re a real gypsy, complete with crystal ball and ridiculous clothes.” Jen snorted.

  “So, do we have to beat it out of you or are you going to confess willingly? ‘Cause you know I’m into the whole torture thing, it’s how I roll,” Jen said completely unashamed.

  “Well, he told me that we had things to talk about but he didn’t think tonight was the night to do it, and he wanted to talk to his father first, whatever that means. Then he asked me out on a date, and he leaned in close to me—” Jacque explained but Jen interrupted.

  “He kissed you?! Was it good? Were his lips soft? Were his lips closed, or were they slightly parted like he might want to wrestle with—” Jen asked rapidly, not even taking a breath.

  “Step back, Don Juan. Don’t even finish that sentence.” Jacque held up her hand as if that would keep the words from tumbling out of Jen’s unfiltered mouth.

  “Well, if he didn’t kiss you then lie to me so I can live vicariously through your pretend love life.” Her blonde friend grumbled.

  Jacque ignored that comment. “So, he leaned in close, and at first, I thought he was going to kiss me, but instead he placed his mouth right next to my ear, and he blew on my neck.” Jacque shivered at the memory. And it wasn’t because she was afraid.

  “Why’d he do that?” Sally asked.

  “I know, right? I don’t know. But I nearly grabbed him by the shirt and kissed him myself. He must have been blocking his mind from me because I didn’t pick up anything.”

  “Wicked,” Jen murmured as her lips turned up slightly. She looked like a wolf about to pounce on an unsuspecting rabbit.

  “I assume you said yes to going out on a date with him?” Sally said.

  “If she said no, she might not want to go to sleep tonight ’cause I’m going to dye her hair blonde to complement her being a dumb ass,” Jen told them.

  “Uh, Jen, you’re a blonde,” Jacque pointed out.

  “No, not really, God just got it wrong, and it was too late to change it once He noticed.”

  Sally shook her head and said, “Sometimes, Jen, I worry about you.”

  Jen just shrugged.

  “Well, put away your hair dye, you overreacting freak. Of course, I said yes. I asked him what I should wear, and he said something to be comfortable riding the motorcycle, and just when I was going to tell him I didn’t have a helmet, he said not to worry because he already bought me one!”

  “Yummy,” Jen said. “Confidence is sooooo smexy.”

  “You think anything is smexy,” Sally retorted.

  “Not true. Guys driving those hybrid cars are so not smexy.”

  “Is she serious?” Sally asked Jacque. “I mean, who thinks of stuff like that?”

  “I have found if you just nod your head while she’s talking, she eventually wears herself out.” Jacque dodged the hairbrush Jen threw at her. She’d gotten used to dodging things Jen threw. It was an hourly occurrence some days.

  “Oh, and then when he was walking to the Henrys’ he turned and blew me a kiss, told me to have sweet dreams, and said he would be dreaming of me.” Jacque would love to say she did not have a swoony look on her face as she relayed this information to her friends, but then she’d be lying, and she tried only to lie when it would embarrass Jen.

  “Oh, that is so freaking romantic!” Sally said as she rolled over onto her back, kicking her legs in the air and squealing.

  Jacque couldn’t disagree, but it also felt surreal. She had to admit Fane had successfully gotten her to stop thinking about Trent. How could she when this gorgeous Romanian hunk was claiming she was his … whatever it was he called her.

  “Yeah, it’s romantic,” Jacque said, “but there is definitely the proverbial other shoe that is sooner or later going to drop and squish me like a bug.”

  “Oh, don’t be so pessimistic,” Jen told her. “Maybe he’s the one, you know, like in those romantic movies where a person has one true soul mate. I mean, he can talk to you telepathically. Why couldn’t he be your soul mate? And if he’s not, when you meet your soul mate, he should be pissed that another man has access to your wicked thoughts.”

  Jacque couldn’t argue with Jen’s assessment of the situation. Anything is possible at this point. And who was she to complain if her soul mate happened to be tall, dark, and handsome with a yummy accent?

  Jacque stretched and yawned. The clock on her phone showed it was 11:30 p.m. Man, she didn’t realize how late it had gotten. They had been having such a good time playing the game that time had flown by.

  “I’m gonna crash, y’all. Here are your blankets,” Jacque told them as she handed them each a pile.

  “Yeah, you’d better go to sleep. You need to look your best since bags under your eyes don’t say, ‘Hey, throw me on the floor and take me’,” Jen told her as she spread out her makeshift bed.

  “Yes, and that is so the look I was going for, so how ’bout I just wear fishnet stockings, thigh-high boots, and a sheer bra? Do you think that would look too desperate?” Jacque asked, looking innocently at her.

  “No, it would only look desperate if you added nipple tassels. That just says, ‘I’m not confident enough to get noticed without fancy trappings.’” The seriousness with which Jen spoke was a testament to just how twisted her little mind was.

  Jacque walked out of her bedroom shaking her head. In the bathroom, she took off her shirt she turned around and used the handheld mirror to look at the marks on her back and neck.

  She realized as she studied them, the markings on her neck looked like they really would fit into Fane’s like a puzzle piece. “Wicked,” Jacque muttered. She and the girls had talked about the possibility of getting tattoos one day, but they agreed to wait until they were eighteen so they didn’t have to broach the subject with Jen’s parents. Jacque supposed she should be a tad thankful she didn’t have to go through the pain that came with getting a tattoo. “Nope, I just had to become a freak and start having telepathic conversations with a yummy exchange student.”

  She felt a shiver go down her spine and quickly shoved on her tank top realizing it wouldn’t cover the markings on her shoulders. The last thing she needed was her mom to see them and start asking questions, especially since Jacque didn’t have any answers. She brushed her teeth, washed her face quickly, then darted across the hall to her bedroom. Going to her closet to find something more covering, Jen saw the marks for the second time. Almost if talking to herself, Jen said, “This is really happening, isn’t it?”

  “I’m afraid so, sweet girl. There’s nothing to do but go with the flow, or sink trying to fight the current,” Sally said using her best Mary Poppins voice.

  Jen looked at her and narrowed her eyes. “If you bust out in ‘Just a Spoonful of Sugar,’ I’m going to duct tape your mouth closed.”

  “You really should seek help for that temper of yours. You know they have medicine that would help,” Jacque told her, trying to sound gentle like she was speaking to an unruly child.

  Jen simply flipped them both the bird.

  Jacque turned off the lights as they all lay down to sleep. They were quiet for a while, and just as Jacque was drifting off, she could feel the waves of worry coming off Sally.

  “Sally,” Jacque said, “it’s all going to work out. Remember, we’re all too stubborn to accept any other outcome.”

  Sally didn’t respond. Then Jacque spoke again. “Jen, seriously, you didn’t have some smart-ass comment right when we needed it?”

  Jen was quiet, too. Jacque and Sally seemed to be holding their breath waiting for their outspoken friend to work her magic.

  “Well,” Jen finally answered, “I was thinking about the game we played tonight and about when the answer was tires on your vehicle and Fane said he had two. I so wanted to ask him if they were big.”

  And just like that, the atmosphere lightened. The three girls laughed until they had tears. Of course, Jen could never stop at just one perverted or smart-ass comment, so when they had all caught their breaths she added, “Jacque, you could always throw your friends a bone or, heck, even just a kibble, and find out for us.”

  “Is that all you ever think about, Jen?” Sally asked in exasperation.

  “About how big Fane’s you-know-whats are? Good grief, no, I think about other things,” Jen defended.

  “Anything not pertaining to the opposite sex or, for that matter, sex itself?” Jacque asked sarcastically.

  Jen started to open her mouth then abruptly shut it. Looking at nothing in particular and thinking, she finally answered, “Nope, uh-uh, don’t think so.”

  They all broke out in laughter again and then finally drifted off to sleep.

  Fane woke up early and decided to go for a run, which always helped him clear his mind. He got up, resisted the urge to reach out to his Luna figuring she was probably still asleep and changed into some workout shorts. He decided against a shirt knowing he wouldn’t leave it on long anyway. Brian and Sara were still asleep, so he tried to make as little noise as possible, which was easy for him, being a werewolf and all. Stealth was something they were just born with, like most predators. He went downstairs, grabbed a banana, and ate it quickly before heading out the front door. Being Canis lupus had other benefits besides the ability to move quietly. Fane could also run for very long distances without tiring, even in his human form. He didn’t have to work out to keep his muscular physique. That was just the way all Canis lupus were built. Some were leaner than others, but all very muscular.

  He glanced up at Jacquelyn’s window, and, giving in to his desire, he reached out to her mind briefly. If she was thinking about something that might embarrass her, he would retreat quickly. But she was still asleep, and her thoughts were scattered. He kept seeing his face then another male face, which he assumed was this Trent she had dated previously. She didn’t seem to be interested in him anymore, but it was obvious he had hurt her. Fane and his wolf did not like that.

  Now that he had reassured himself she was safe and sound, Fane pulled back from her thoughts and started up the street. He had to restrain himself from running full speed because he was much, much faster than a human. Anyone that happened to be watching would surely notice and think it odd. But the wolf wanted to run, wanted to hunt. Fane pushed down the urge and kept a steady jog.

  As he ran, Fane thought about the night before, about the car that had driven by Jacquelyn’s house. The men inside were much too interested in his mate’s home. There had been two males, one of whom had been the salesman at the motorcycle dealership. The other, Fane didn’t recognize, but he could only assume it was a packmate of the salesman. Their presence made it clear they wanted Fane out of their territory—a territory they, being a rogue pack, had no right to.

  So far, Fane’s Alpha had not commanded him to leave, so Fane wasn’t going anywhere. But what would happen if that command came? Fane would have to convince Jacquelyn and her mother to come with him. There was no way he was going to leave his mate there unprotected. The plan had never been for Fane to stay in the United States permanently, even if he did miraculously find his mate. His place was with his pack, and hers would be by his side.

  As he continued to run, Fane’s thoughts alternated between thinking about Jacquelyn and their date that night to thinking about the local pack he hadn’t known existed. When he finally made it back to the Henrys’ house, Fane had been running for over two hours and his wolf wasn’t any less restless than when he started. No hunt, his wolf growled at him. We can’t hunt as we do at home. We need to stay close to Jacquelyn. Fane responded. His wolf sent him the image of their mate hiding from them while they searched for her—a game, Fane realized. His wolf wanted to play with her, wanted her to join in with them and be a part of their world. She will. Now. His wolf growled. Fane ignored him knowing that he couldn’t reason with him. His wolf only understood instincts and action, not logic and reasoning.

  Fane went through the front door and, as he was walking in, he saw Sara coming down the stairs in workout shorts and shirt with her hair up in a ponytail.

  “We’re going out to run some trails at the park across town. You’re welcome to come, but it looks like you’ve already been out and about,” Sara told him.

  “Thank you for the invitation, but I did just finish running, so I will pass for today. I wanted to check with you and make sure this was okay. I asked Jacquelyn out on a date for this evening, so I will be out. Will that be a problem?” Fane asked.

  “No problem at all. Jacque is a one-of-a-kind girl, and we all love her, but I don’t think I have to tell you to treat her well. You seem to have impeccable manners.”

  Once the Henrys left and Fane took a shower, he sat down to call his father again and see if they could come up with some sort of plan for how to deal with the unregistered pack.

  The phone rang one time, then his father’s voice was on the other end.

  “Da, yes,” he said.

  “It’s me,” Fane told him. “I need to know what you want me to do. Do I need to request a meeting with this Alpha and find out who this other wolf is that is laying claim to what is mine?”

  “I have been thinking about it and I’ve decided to send Sorin back to you. I think his experience and age will be of some help, not to mention show them you are not on your own,” his father told him.

  “As my Alpha, what are you telling me to do?” Fane asked him.

  “I want you to protect your mate and her mother, but do not act on anything unless provoked. If it gets out of hand, I don’t care how, but you get your mate and her mother on a plane, … and fast,” his father said firmly.

  “Okay, so when will Sorin arrive? And where is he going to stay?” Fane asked him.

  “He should be there sometime around 8:00 p.m. You might find this interesting, but he is staying with Lilly Pierce.”

  “That’s my mate’s mother,” Fane said confused.

  “I am aware of that. I guess it’s time for me to tell you, but you must wait to talk to Jacquelyn until after her mother tells her so she doesn’t feel betrayed by her mom,” Fane’s father explained. “I did a little searching and found out that your mate is indeed part Canis lupus. In fact, she is half Grey and half-human. Jacquelyn’s father is a Grey. He and Lilly were together for quite a while, although they were never married. At some point in their relationship, he decided to tell her about his origins because she had a special gift and knew there was something different about him. She actually received the news very well. After that, things were good, but one day Jacquelyn’s father came home, packed his things, and left Lilly a note. All it said was ‘I have to go. I have no choice. I’m sorry.’ Jacquelyn’s father did not know Lilly was pregnant with his child when he left. I have since located him and found that he is with his true mate in Colorado, and that is why he had to leave Lilly. You see, Lilly was not his true mate, and even though he had feelings for her, they weren’t even a pin drop compared to what he feels for his mate. This is exactly why we discourage relationships with humans, even if casual. Someone always gets hurt.”